just accept and move on the tri-annual reido gathering
by tvkeshi
Summary: When they walked through the door, they most definitely did not expect to see a girl sitting in the living room. In which Nagi finds her place. a.k.a the time when Kyoya and Tetsuya left for a gathering and came back with a stray.


Thrice a year – for eight days – the Soga and Hibari clans convened at Kakunodate in the Akita prefecture. Throughout the week, the clan heads met with foreign missionaries and allies – once the children reached the clan majority age of 14, they would be allowed into the gathering. For the children, it was a time to make allies that would lead to the further success of the clans.

It was something to be said that it wasn't Testuya's first gathering, nor would it be his last. He had been attending with Kyouya for nearly five years. Unlike the other children involved, he had not been eagerly anticipating their first gathering. Kyouya didn't do well in crowds and Tetsuya really didn't fancy being surrounded by an unknown amount of clan members.

The Reido Gathering was amply named, if you asked him. The atmosphere was tense with barely contained bloodlust and if it wasn't for the anti-violence clause the event would be more of a brawl then a political meeting.

Tetsuya wrapped his fingers around his cup and allowed the steam to warm his lips before he took a sip. It was always colder that time of year and as his haori was not as thick as he would have liked. He and Kyouya sat in their usual spot within the gardens. Occasionally an older relative would stop greet them but would soon move on leaving them to their tea and compatible silence. They generally kept to themselves except for during meal times in which they were required to socialize.

At the familiar click of geta on the stone pathway caused both men to look towards the entrance. A young girl - barely old enough to attend the gathering - walked towards their spot looking entirely overwhelmed – something in which they could relate.

She wore an auburn furisode with a green obi and, surprisingly enough, Tetsuya didn't recognize her and when he looked to Kyouya it was apparent that he didn't either.

"Good evening, Imouto."

The girl suddenly jerked back and nearly fell when he spoke.

"G-good evening," her voice was soft, shy.

Kyouya continued to watch her with an intensity usually reserved for – well, not for people.

"Hibari Kyouya," Kyouya suddenly interjected startling her again.

"M-Mizushima, Nagi," she bowed her head lightly.

"Kusakabe, Tetsuya," Tetsuya beckoned her closer and motioned for her to sit. "Are you here with a branch family?"

She shook her head, tucking her legs beneath her as she sat on the cushion. "My father brought me. Niccolo Adesso."

"Italian?" she nodded her eyes locked onto Kyouya. Thought the gathering lasted eight days, people not directly related to the family – branch or otherwise – only stayed several days at the most and only family members knew the exact dates of the event.

Tetsuya watched them stare at each other in silence. The longer they stared the more uncomfortable he became. He sipped his tea and prayed that it wouldn't end violently.

The silence was broken by an obviously foreign man striding into the gardens, "There you are, figla. We are leaving now."

"It is time to go," he repeated when Nagi didn't move.

Nagi looked up at the man, "Papa…"

Niccolo ignored both Tetsuya and Kyouya when reached down to grab her arm. Kyouya glared and growled like an animal.

"Adesso-san, we will be collected for dinner shortly. Will you not join us?" Tetsuya prided himself on his ability to read people and if it was obvious to even Kyouya, something was definitely wrong.

Niccolo glanced at them briefly before tugging Nagi towards him, forcing her to stand.

"I must insist you join us for dinner, Adesso-san," Tetsuya rose pressing down on Kyouya's shoulder – a warning – before straightening.

Another pair of geta could be heard rapidly clicking towards them and Niccolo dropped Nagi's arm as though he was burned. "Hibari-sama, Kusakabe-sama, I am here to bring you to the banquet hall."

"Thank you, Etsuko-chan. We will be right in." Etsuko was a branch family member from Hokkaido and had only been allowed into the gathering that year. Fortunately for her, she had grown up surrounded by the clans, so she had long since adapted to the Reido Gathering air.

She looked at Nagi before narrowing her eyes at Niccolo, "Shall I prepare two more seats?"

"No, we were just-"

"Two seats," Kyouya's face was void of emotion and his eyes bored into Niccolo's.

Nagi sat with her hands in her lap occasionally sneaking glances at the people around her. They were all very loud and abrupt. Four tables sat lengthwise across the long room, and all of them were filled with elaborately dressed men and women.

She had been sat at the very end of the table with her father was stewing to her right and the boys she met in the garden sat across from them.

The one who introduced himself as Kusakabe, was very broad and had his hair slicked back. Hibari-san – the one who kept looking at her – was slender and had – what she considered – stylishly shaggy hair. They seemed very close, and they both wore the same mon on their haori.

The girl from the garden sat on her other side and was chatting amicably to another girl about archery. Nagi didn't really understand but they seemed excited.

She hadn't wanted to come with her father, she hadn't even known she was going until the day before they left. She was initially going to stay with her mother but then she got called into work and it was too late notice for her to stay with neighbors. Her mother had argued that she was old enough to stay alone – that she knew how to take care of herself – but oddly enough, her father had ended up bringing her along.

Numerous people cheered as food was laid out on the table.

She peaked back up at the boys.

Kusakabe-san and Hibari-san were filling their plates at inhuman speeds. She looked around, so was everyone else.

Before she could even pick up her chopsticks, her plate was filled with food. She looked to Kusakabe-san who motioned towards Hibari-san. She blushed and picked up her chopsticks.

Very few people remained in the banquet room after dinner. Etsuko was talking quietly to Nagi while Kyouya watched quietly from his seat. Tetsuya had just poured himself a cup of tea when Niccolo finally made a move to leave.

"Figla, Benigna, dear, we need to go now," his voice was low. Etsuko moved slightly to block his view of her. Tetsuya frowned.

"Nagi-chan, it's time to go home," he hissed.

Suga Akari – arguably one of the scariest women in existence and Kyouya's mother – came up behind Niccolo. "Is there a problem here?"

"Okaa-sama," Kyouya greeted.

Niccolo Adresso was born and raised in the mob but even then, he had never met a women as frightening as Akari.

"S-Soga-sama," he bowed.

"Etsuko-chan," she called.

Etsuko instantly turned to face her but kept Nagi behind her back, "Yes, Soga-sama?"

"Please take Nagi-chan to your room and have her change into something more comfortable while I have a talk with Adresso-san."

What Tsuna and Takeshi expected to find when they walked into Kyouya and Tetsuya's house was not a girl sitting on their sofa.

"Hello," they stood staring at her from the entryway.

"Hello?" Takeshi waved awkwardly. She appeared younger than them by several years, a first year at least, and was wearing a tank top and sleeping pants despite it being nearly noon.

"Who?"

"She's Nagi," pipped Kyouya from where he laid on the loveseat.

"Okay?"

Tsuna looked back and forth from Kyouya to Nagi several times before shrugging and walking away towards the kitchen. The sentiment was accepted by Takeshi when Tetsuya entered the room and was unperturbed by her presence.

There were times in one's life when you need to accept and move on.


End file.
